Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-01-07

to be district attorney. As Atkins was
chairman of the state Democratic commit
tee he went to him for endorsement. At
kns was not ready and it was agreed that
Dickey should remain quiet until second
meeting, when Atkins would be able to re
ply. When Dickey saw Atkins the next
time he asked for his decision and was in
formed that Atkins could not endorse him.
Dickcy then pulled his paper and exhibited
names which he thought would do very
well without Mr.. Atkins's name He had
secured the endorsement of all the supreme
court excepting one, Minister Ed. J. Phelps,
of the majority of the bar on this side of
the state, and of prominent men in differ
ent parts Meantime Atkins had pledged
his support to Pitkin of Montpelier who
had recently come over the mugwump
bridge into the Democratic party. 1t seem
ed to he a draw game. Atkins was unable
to get so respectable an endorsement as
Dickey had obtained. and Dickey was una
bile to pull in without the signatures of
Smalley and Atkins Thus the matter
stood in a sort of calm for nearly two years,
until Dickey was appointed postmaster
This broke the calm and produced sur
prise like that which follows thunder from
clearsky Dickey himself expressed sur
prise but was not mad. Nearly everybody
else was surprised and mad too. Probably
no appointment could have been made in
Bradford and given more offence than Dick
ey's appointment as postmaster.
Immediately following the appointment
Henry Wnship wrote to Atkins and asked
Was \. NJ. Dickey appointed postmaster
here to get him out of the district attorney
race = Atkins answered in the negative,
and affirmed that Dickey was not form
idable competitor
Winship then wrote again and, after al
luding TO promise by Atkins that nothing
should be done in relation to the Bradford
post office without his (Winships) knowl-
edge and that he should he notified and
heard when the time came to act, he then
| propounds the following conundrums
AT what time. or about what time, did you he
| come aware that the name Of 4. VI. Dickey was
being considered for postmaster at this place. BY
| whom was the name presented to the appointing
| power pardon my ignorance and was il present
/ ed To the President or postmaster geuerals What
names appeared in the papers recommending him,
! Wen the petitions of Jones and CLARK consderetls
/ II $50 when and what conclusion was reached in
/ relation to them: And If not considered. why
not: And finally Knowing how many warm per
suugl friends yuu have here, how could you allow
such am outrage to he put upon our community
/ without even giving them chance to protest.
Atkinss relpies are somewhat evasive
| He remembers something about being asked
/ if a half dozen prominent Bradford Demo
! Gratis could not be allowed to determine who
should Ice postmaster, declined to promise
but said something similar etc. He did
not answer how long he had been aware
that Dickey's name had been considered for
| the place. Doubtless he considered that
leading He did not know who present
ed the name to the President but inclined
to think it was the postmaster general He
had no doubt the petitions of Jones and
Clark were considered and thought per
haps Dickey might have come in as "a dark
horse, because those two candidates divid-
ed the public sentiment. He then asks
If Col. Dickey is unpopular, why has
he always headed the Bradford delegation
to state conventions, etc. This gave the
postmaster general the right to think he is
not unpopular, but that he is the man Brad
ford Democrats delight to honor. You at
home are the ones To blame"
Atkins has always known of Dickey's un-
popularity in Bradford, and his concluding
sentence above is adding insult to injury.
Although his name may nowhere appear in
the papers securing this appointment, At
kins can never make Bradford people be
lieve that he is not responsible for it, The
inference is unavoidable. Atkins was
pledged to Pitkin, and Dickey, with his bet
ter Endorsement, was in the way. Wasn't
it in the direct line of Atkinss interest and
wishes to dispose of Dickey in some way
and make the way clear for his man Pit
kin He does not answer Winship's ques
ton as to how long Dickey's name had beer
considered for postmaster. He would ra
Their appear among those surprised at tn,
appointment. John c. Stearns knew las
July that Dickey was to be the man, an,
his information came direct from Smalley
What Smalley knows about Vermont ap
pontments Atkins knows, of course
Stearns told Postmaster Garfield in Jul,
that he could name his successor, bu
wouldn't as his information came through
confidence But Stearns chuckled as h,
told Garfield that Bradford Democrat
would soon get surprise which woul,
make them howl with rage. The surpris
came and the howl followed, as Stearns in
timated, John is wild Republican an,
chuckled with glee at the prospects of
row in the Democratic ranks and IA conse
quent weakening of their strength in Brad
ford. Now, if this were known month
ago, why We're not Bradford people consult
ed according to previous understanding
Because Pltkin was in the way Pitkii
, was of more consequence to the appointing
power than the entire community at Brad
ford. Why were the petitions of Jone
and of Clark, which bore all the names il
the village ignored, and the appointment
given to man who had no petition an,
: could get none for that position, in Brad
ford Pitkin was i'll the way. Jones wa
quiet because he had been informed b.
Smalley and Atkins that no man could ge
the office without proper Endorsement a
= home emphasized by the Endorsement a
S Smalley and Atkins. Knowing that no i'm
pt haI Al. ..
approval he rested easy But Jones
, now among the surprised
| Col. Dickey read law with Postmaster
! General Nilas's father, and it is intimate
e that Villas sent Dickey the appointment q
e his own notion. But no one in Bradford
{ ! willing to believe that he would make tn
70 appointment without knowing the desire q
$ Bradford, or without consulting Smalle
and Atkins, who have claimed the rigl
] and the power Ia name the men TO be ia
Y vored. No one believes that Villas woul
take the excellent endorsement Dickev r,
q ceived for district attorney, and use it a
q an endorsement for Dickey for postmaster
. After receiving the appointment Dick
/ eys son started out with paper To obtai
a signatures of approval and 1lS Democrat
A signed But this proves nothing as man
would sign consent after the fact, whic
+ they could not prevent, who would not hav
, signed 10 help secure the appointment w
I conversed with several signers who too
, this position A paper is now being circr
= lated TO obtain names asking the Senate ne
y to confirm the appointment.
We have thus given mild version of tn
case as we heard it discussed in Bradford
The people, without distinction of part,
. would have been satisfied with Garfield
who has been an accommodating, efcier
. and popular officer As a change was al
ticipated, the majority preference was give
= TO Jones, n capable and popular man, Will
a large majority favored Clark, who is ais
: popular. Nobody thought of Dickey, ne
body wanted him, and nobody would hav
Il endorsed him for the position. An abb
4 lawyer, lac might have honored the positio
u of district attorney. But as postmaster h
, is entirely untitled by previous habits {
a life, by defective sight, and by local unpoI
ularity. In this position he is placed wheT
he will do the most harm.
n We have reviewed this case about as W
n have heard it discussed in Bradford. 1t
j. charged almost wholly TO Atkins who
n accused of stamping Bradford under foe
u to facilitate the march of a personal favor
c lite to the Office of district attorney. Tn
$ Atkins denies, and for the sake of harmon
lzlng and saving the Democracy in a clos
j. Democratic town, we hope he may succee
. IN proving, and making them believe. h
n innocence. Thus far he has utterly failet
T. and the more hesargues the less they seer
l. to believe.
e Somebody has abused Bradford by al
pointing the last man they would choose
L the most important position in the yillag,
r. Could President Cleveland spend an hou
p in Bradford and note the feeling, the wron
y would be promptly righted. Whoever wa
Y discovered TO be responsible would lose a
d his influence with a President who insist